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Thread started 02/07/07 6:55am

Anx

When Doves Fry: Why Prince Didn't Get Electrocuted at the Superbowl

And the wacky Prince articles keep rolling in...this one from Slate.com:

http://www.slate.com/id/2159161/


When Doves Fry
How come Prince didn't get electrocuted at the Super Bowl?


By Torie Bosch
Posted Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007, at 6:53 PM ET

Sunday's big game between the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears marked the first-ever rainy Super Bowl. Prince's high-tech halftime show had viewers and critics raving, but all that equipment and rain looked like an electrocution waiting to happen. How do you keep soaking-wet performers from getting shocked?

You go wireless. The use of battery-powered, wireless equipment provides one measure of safety; performers and their crews should also check to make sure that any stray electrical current goes into the ground, and that they've set up a way to shut off power in an emergency. These safety procedures are standard practice when there's a lot of electrical equipment around, but they're particularly important when it's raining. Our susceptibility to electrical shock is greatly increased when our skin is wet—whether we're soaked with rain, or just a little sweaty. (Dry skin acts as a stronger resistor and can protect us from small shocks.)

Battery-powered wireless microphones, guitars, and other gear keep performers isolated from potentially dangerous electrical current. To get a shock, you have to become part of an electrical circuit between a high-voltage source—like a power line—and the ground (or a grounded object, like a ladder). Without coming into contact with both, you can't be electrocuted, which is why birds on power lines don't get fried. It's also one of the reasons why wireless equipment keeps performers safe in the rain—if you're not physically connected to the current, you can't get shocked. If wireless equipment isn't available, the use of low-voltage equipment can also reduce the risk of shock.

The proper grounding of electrical equipment can help protect anyone working behind the scenes, like sound engineers or camera operators, from possible shocks. (In 1976, musician Keith Relf of the Yardbirds died because his guitar wasn't grounded properly.) An assured grounding program involves two tests, both of which can be conducted with an ohmmeter to measure electrical resistance. The first test makes sure that there are no gaps in the electrical setup that could let current leak out and shock someone. The second test makes sure that the equipment-grounding conductor, which carries any extra current to the ground, is sending the electrical flow to the right place. Whether it's raining or not, making sure that equipment is grounded—that any stray current will go directly into the earth instead of into the poor sound guy who touches the wrong wire—is an important safety precaution. (Three-pronged electrical plugs, which refrigerators and other equipment often have, also ground the current.)

If an electrical shock does occur, devices called "ground fault circuit interrupters" can prevent a fatality. A GFCI works by measuring the amount of power going into a circuit and the amount of power coming out. In general, these two readings should be the same; if they're not, there must be a power leak somewhere along the line, which could indicate that a person is getting shocked. The GFCI, which costs about $10 for household use and is standard-issue on blow dryers, automatically shuts down the power when it senses a leak. The person might still feel the shock, but it probably wouldn't be fatal.



Thanks ta Endorphin74 for hipping me to this story! hug
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Reply #1 posted 02/07/07 9:27am

3121

lol when doves fry! i like it. They could've ran with dance electric. any others?
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Reply #2 posted 02/07/07 9:33am

Greg55403

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I cannot stress enough the importance of proper grounding! Just look at what happened to the Yardbirds guy! I wouldn't want anyone on this Earth to share his fate. He died so we all might live and learn from his mistake. Is this the proper place to start a petition to the Vatican to begin the beatification process of Keith Relf? Our boy might have been electrocuted if it had not been for his brave leadership in the field of human grounding experiments.
"All Hail King Bart!"
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Reply #3 posted 02/07/07 9:37am

live4lust

Pretty obvious. razz
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Reply #4 posted 02/07/07 9:43am

vanity69

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http://www.ew.com/ew/arti...37,00.html

This is sort of related. The excerpt is from an Entertainment Weekly article entitled, "Purple Rain Indeed"

How in the world did Prince avoid becoming a small fry on that slick stage? Some dangerous off-camera heroics helped, for one: After an electric cable was accidentally severed moments before the show, a stage hand channeled a scene straight out of Back to the Future by manually inserting the exposed copper wires into an outlet and holding them in place for the duration of the nearly 12-minute show. It's a wonder he wasn't injured, which is why Mischer says he wants to find out the guy's identity, because ''I think I should give him a medal.'' (Better yet, maybe a trip to Aruba?)

My favorite part of the article is the quote at the end.
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Reply #5 posted 02/07/07 9:44am

3121

3121 said:

lol when doves fry! i like it. They could've ran with dance electric. any others?


if he was using sequencers they could've gone with 'COMPUTER BLEW'
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Reply #6 posted 02/07/07 9:50am

Stax

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On a related note, was that a real lightning strike at the start of the halftime performance?
a psychotic is someone who just figured out what's going on
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Reply #7 posted 02/07/07 9:51am

live4lust

I knew Dave Grohl would love it. cool
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Reply #8 posted 02/07/07 9:51am

superspaceboy

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Thanks. I was wondering. I half expected him to crank up with the guitar and then go up in sparks witht he first note...screaming all the way and yet no one would know what happened because he screams a lot.

Christian Zombie Vampires

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Reply #9 posted 02/07/07 9:52am

Imago

neutral
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Reply #10 posted 02/07/07 9:52am

DanceWme

Imago said:

neutral

wtf is wrong with u today?
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Reply #11 posted 02/07/07 9:52am

shygirl

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Prince, risking his life to keep America safe from another bad SuperBowl halftime show.
Thank you, Prince, thank you. lol
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Reply #12 posted 02/07/07 9:53am

superspaceboy

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Stax said:

On a related note, was that a real lightning strike at the start of the halftime performance?


I asked the same thing on anthoer thread. The reply was it was fake, Though I don't know how they did it. It did seem a little too coincidental (would have been cool to go into Thunder I think)

Christian Zombie Vampires

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Reply #13 posted 02/07/07 9:55am

Imago

DanceWme said:

Imago said:

neutral

wtf is wrong with u today?



I'm trying to get attention form Anx. Do you think it's working?
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Reply #14 posted 02/07/07 9:56am

Anx

Imago said:

neutral



someone's got a case of the irregularity crankies. comfort
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Reply #15 posted 02/07/07 9:56am

DanceWme

Imago said:

DanceWme said:


wtf is wrong with u today?



I'm trying to get attention form Anx. Do you think it's working?

No.

Now send me some nudes and maybe he'll notice nod
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Reply #16 posted 02/07/07 10:03am

booyah

avatar

vanity69 said:

http://www.ew.com/ew/arti...37,00.html

This is sort of related. The excerpt is from an Entertainment Weekly article entitled, "Purple Rain Indeed"

How in the world did Prince avoid becoming a small fry on that slick stage? Some dangerous off-camera heroics helped, for one: After an electric cable was accidentally severed moments before the show, a stage hand channeled a scene straight out of Back to the Future by manually inserting the exposed copper wires into an outlet and holding them in place for the duration of the nearly 12-minute show. It's a wonder he wasn't injured, which is why Mischer says he wants to find out the guy's identity, because ''I think I should give him a medal.'' (Better yet, maybe a trip to Aruba?)

"Great Scott!" My favorite part of the article is the quote at the end.


I like the Back To The Future reference.


But yeah, that guy deserves a medal. Perhaps a Delorean would be more appropriate?

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Reply #17 posted 02/07/07 10:11am

Desire2006

3121 said:

lol when doves fry! i like it. They could've ran with dance electric. any others?


Electric Intercourse??? !!!!! lol lol lol lol
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Reply #18 posted 02/07/07 10:20am

scandalousalan

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Fuck me sideways, that is a sublime performance, that said, the night i saw fury (snl) convinced me that this guy is far from finished making his mark on the world, head and shoulders, head and fucking shoulders!!!
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Reply #19 posted 02/07/07 11:10am

oldpurple

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what about Electric Man!!!!!
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Reply #20 posted 02/07/07 12:01pm

metalorange

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superspaceboy said:

Stax said:

On a related note, was that a real lightning strike at the start of the halftime performance?


I asked the same thing on anthoer thread. The reply was it was fake, Though I don't know how they did it. It did seem a little too coincidental (would have been cool to go into Thunder I think)


It was just composited onto a particular static camera shot digitally. The people in the arena didn't see the lightning, except in the same shot relayed onto the arena screens.

I'm amazed this Superbowl has become the third most watched program in US tv history. Was it really because people tuned into see Prince? His appearance was much publicised and hyped, that did seem to give it the extra push into stratospheric viewing figures.
[Edited 2/7/07 12:03pm]
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Reply #21 posted 02/07/07 12:59pm

BananaCologne

metalorange said:

superspaceboy said:

Stax said:

On a related note, was that a real lightning strike at the start of the halftime performance?


I asked the same thing on anthoer thread. The reply was it was fake, Though I don't know how they did it. It did seem a little too coincidental (would have been cool to go into Thunder I think)


It was just composited onto a particular static camera shot digitally. The people in the arena didn't see the lightning, except in the same shot relayed onto the arena screens.


falloff

So far, it seems like it's only you and I that keep having to relay that there was no 'act of God'! lol
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Reply #22 posted 02/07/07 1:17pm

Snap

scandalousalan said:

Fuck me sideways, that is a sublime performance, that said, the night i saw fury (snl) convinced me that this guy is far from finished making his mark on the world, head and shoulders, head and fucking shoulders!!!


thumbs up! guitar

These last three or so years (even back to 2001) have created some pretty exciting moments in a Prince fan's life.
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Reply #23 posted 02/07/07 1:24pm

FunkiestOne

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metalorange said:

I'm amazed this Superbowl has become the third most watched program in US tv history. Was it really because people tuned into see Prince? His appearance was much publicised and hyped, that did seem to give it the extra push into stratospheric viewing figures.
[Edited 2/7/07 12:03pm]


No, I doubt it was because Prince played the halftime show. I think Peyton Manning had a bit more to do with it, plus Da Bears. Prince was great, but I doubt even close to one percent of the audience watched because of him and wouldn't have otherwise.
[Edited 2/7/07 13:25pm]
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Reply #24 posted 02/07/07 1:26pm

FunkiestOne

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superspaceboy said:

I asked the same thing on anthoer thread. The reply was it was fake, Though I don't know how they did it. It did seem a little too coincidental (would have been cool to go into Thunder I think)


The lightning looked totally fake to me...it looked like bad 80s music video effects. I don't think they were trying to fool anyone.
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Reply #25 posted 02/07/07 2:31pm

wlcm2thdwn

He didn't get electrocuted cause he's already HOT! biggrin
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Reply #26 posted 02/07/07 2:46pm

7kisses4U

.
[Edited 4/18/07 22:17pm]
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Reply #27 posted 02/07/07 3:55pm

alwayslate

y'know i did wonder about possible electricity/water problems. It was the fake lightening that made me nervous. glad everything was a-ok.
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Reply #28 posted 02/07/07 5:16pm

tznekbsbfrvr

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ah- the risks Prince will take to put an amazing show on. and, i agree, that lighting scared the crap outta me- i thought it was real until someone told me that it was a special effect.
"So shall it be written, so shall it be sung..." whistle
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Reply #29 posted 02/07/07 7:50pm

Purplerain7772
001

avatar

3121 said:

lol when doves fry! i like it. They could've ran with dance electric. any others?



spooky electric

SHOCK-a-deli-ca!

lol
hav u had ur + sign 2 day.
eye wish u heaven
worship GOD
prince
Purplerain7772001
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Forums > Prince: Music and More > When Doves Fry: Why Prince Didn't Get Electrocuted at the Superbowl